Gollinkambi Kindred

An integral part of our faith is maintaining appropriate relationships.  Part of this involves the exchanging of gifts.  Gifts to the Gods, Vaettir and the Ancestors take the form of offerings or sacrifices.  Offerings must be of value, but need not have significant monetary value.  The value of an offering lies, rather in the the importance of that offering to the giver and to the recipient.  An offering need not even be a physical thing, but may be words, song or even worthy actions performed as an offering.  Many times, however, items of food or drink are offered as gifts, or pieces of art or jewelry.  Regardless, any offering must be given, permanently.  An offering may be burned, broken, buried or sunk in water but it must not be returned to mundane use by those who have given it. 

Common Devotions:  We may offer private devotions at any time, silently or out loud, with our without an offering.  When not at home, or on special occasions, we will pray at mealtimes, offering a small amount of salt form the table when we do so.
    Special Devotions:  We may make special devotional offerings during times of joy and thanks, or when asking for special intercession or during times of trial.  These may be silent or out loud and often are accompanied by an appropriate offering.
    Blot:  The most common form of worship is the blot, pronounced "bloat."  During blot the folk gather, often outside, and stand in a circle, usually around a fire.  A horn is filled with drink, often mead, and the person leading the blot states the purpose of the blot and which wights, that is, beings, are to be honored.  The blot leader then raises the horn, speaks words of praise to the appropriate wights, takes a sip, then passes the horn clockwise around the circle where the next participant raises the horn and speaks words of praise.  These short praise statement always end with the word "Hail!"  which the group repeats.  If an individual is unable to drink from the horn, for whatever reason, it is equally acceptable to kiss the horn or touch it to one's forehead.
    The process is repeated with the horn being passed until it has gone around the circle.  The blot leader will then continue additional rounds until the ceremony is complete.  At the end of the ceremony, the remaining drink in the horn is poured into a bowl, called a hlaut bowl and poured out onto the earth as an offering with the group stating "From the Gods to the Earth to Us, from Us to the Earth to the Gods, a gift for a gift."
   


Sumble:  The sumble is a more formal service than the blot.  Sumble is held indoors and immediately following a group feast with participants seated around tables.  The sumble is watched over by a Thyle, who's job it is to maintain harmony and order.  A young woman serves as Valkyrie, carrying a drinking horn around to participants, rather than having the horn passed hand to hand as often happens in blot.  During sumble, the horn is always passed with two hands. 
    The sumble leader begins by stating the purpose and precedent for the sumble.  The leader will then declare what wights are to be honored as the horn makes its way around the sumble.  Traditionally, the sumble consists of at least three rounds, the first for the Gods, the second for the Spirits and the third is usually an open round where participants may honor whom they which, within the guidelines set by the sumble leader and host.
    During sumble participants may raise the horn to toast an appropriate wight, boast of deeds they or those they are close to have done or swear an oath.   Oaths during sumble are felt to be particularly important and have an effect not only on the one making the oath, but on those bearing witness to the oath as well.  Metaphorically, the tip of the drinking horn extends into the Well of Wyrd (the well of fate), thus, words spoken over the horn and the drink from the horn, gives and takes from the intertwined fate of all things.  The host may require that all oaths to be spoken in sumble be evaluated prior to the event.  Shild, or payment for an oath which cannot be completed may be demanded to be held in trust until the oath is fulfilled.  The Thyle will stop an ill oath from being spoken.
    At the end of sumble, the remaining drink is drunk by the host, rather than offered at a ve as in blot.